On Saturday's Daf (San. 14a) we get a great characterization of a reluctant leader. We read that R. Zeira would always avoid being ordained. When others would get ready to pursue lives as Rabbis and judges, Zeira would find an excuse not to come to ordination. When asked about this he said, "One should always be in the dark and if he stays there, he will live."
Rashi explain that Zeira's statement is a call for us all to stay out the limelight and shun publich office because being a leader "buries a person". This isn't a new idea. Pesachim 87b also teaches "T. Johanan said: ‘Woe to lordship which buries [slays] its possessor, for there is not a single prophet who did not outlive four kings. " As it turns out, kings like Rabbis have their work cut out for them.
However, R. Zeira didn't shirk leadership forever. Instead he changed his mind when he heard a statement by Rabbi Elazar, "No person rises to a position of greatness unless [heaven] forgives all his sins." When he heard this Zeira sought to be ordained.
Here's what I love about Elazar's statement. In essence the statement speaks to the reward of leadership. Doing good and helping people are not always enough. Next to stress, heart attacks, and headaches, personal satisfaction doesn't fair so well. So what did the Rabbis do? They developed a doctrine that says that if one rises to a position of greatness all their sins will be forgiven. Now that's a reward!
Today we too can't rely just on personal satisfaction. While we don't have a doctrine that promises us forgiveness if we rise to power, we do have money. In the book Crashing the Gate Jerome Armstrong (and others) speak about how many liberal young Americans are choosing not to work for Washington non-profits because coming from good schools they won't be compensated for their talents and movement into the Washington spotlight (this is the opposite of the Republican party that does shell out the money for talented young people). While some graduates do go into this work (and are wonderful at it) many more go to Wall Street where they can make more money.
As we debate salaries and question financial decisions I think our daf today is a wonderful reminder of the true costs of leadership and the need to provide meaningful rewards to those who step into the spotlight.
However, R. Zeira didn't shirk leadership forever. Instead he changed his mind when he heard a statement by Rabbi Elazar, "No person rises to a position of greatness unless [heaven] forgives all his sins." When he heard this Zeira sought to be ordained.
Here's what I love about Elazar's statement. In essence the statement speaks to the reward of leadership. Doing good and helping people are not always enough. Next to stress, heart attacks, and headaches, personal satisfaction doesn't fair so well. So what did the Rabbis do? They developed a doctrine that says that if one rises to a position of greatness all their sins will be forgiven. Now that's a reward!
Today we too can't rely just on personal satisfaction. While we don't have a doctrine that promises us forgiveness if we rise to power, we do have money. In the book Crashing the Gate Jerome Armstrong (and others) speak about how many liberal young Americans are choosing not to work for Washington non-profits because coming from good schools they won't be compensated for their talents and movement into the Washington spotlight (this is the opposite of the Republican party that does shell out the money for talented young people). While some graduates do go into this work (and are wonderful at it) many more go to Wall Street where they can make more money.
As we debate salaries and question financial decisions I think our daf today is a wonderful reminder of the true costs of leadership and the need to provide meaningful rewards to those who step into the spotlight.
I liked the song that was sung for Zeira upon his ordination:
ReplyDeleteWhen R'Zeira was ordained, [the community] sang this about him: - With neither eye makeup nor facial makeup nor hair dye, she radiates grace.
The song was meant for weddings, to express how beautiful the bride was even without makeup--ha! But for Zeira, they meant that despite his boring attire, his character was beautiful.
Or maybe Zeira was a she.